Support piece for a carrying bag and a carrying bag having such support piece

ABSTRACT

A support piece for an element of a carrying system of a bag, such as a backpack, and a bag that includes such support piece. The support piece includes a body constituted of a padding material, and an envelope that is closed on the body with a seam provided on the side opposite that which comes into contact with the user of the bag. The seam thus positioned cannot come into contact with the carrier, even when the bag is heavily loaded and the support piece possibly becomes deformed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a carrying bag and, more particularly, relates to a support piece for an element of the carrying system for the bag, including an envelope adapted to play the role of a comfort interface between the support piece and the carrier.

[0003] 2. Description of Background and Relevant Information

[0004] Known carrying bags, such backpacks, include a carrying system generally composed of a pair of shoulder straps and a belt. In simplified versions, in particular in the case of carrying bags for travel or hiking, the carrying system merely has a pair of shoulder straps, or even a single shoulder strap in the case of shoulder bags. Furthermore, for pouches and waistpouches, the carrying system is limited to a belt.

[0005] In all of these embodiments of the carrying bags, the load is therefore distributed over only one or more members or elements, i.e., a belt and/or shoulder straps, which have the general shape of more or less narrow bands. In view of the heavy load that may be placed in the bag, and of the relatively reduced contact surface of these elements of the carrying system, support pieces, such as cushions, pads, etc., are generally associated with the shoulder straps and belt so as to disperse the pressure of the latter over a larger contact surface, and with a shock-absorbing effect for an increased comfort to the user/carrier. To this end, these support pieces are made with a body which includes a padding material, such as wool flock, cotton, felt, quilting cotton, or a flexible and elastic micro-cellular material, which is covered with an envelope adapted to ensure an agreeable contact with the carrier.

[0006] Moreover, to take the carrier's morphology into account in the zone where the support pieces are to be applied, the body constituted of a padding material almost generally conforms to this zone. This known arrangement makes it possible to ensure a more enveloping contact without risk of creating localized overpressures, in particular in the area of the carrier's bony or muscle parts that project. Conversely, it requires designing the envelope with contours that conform to the body of the support piece, which results in closing it with a seam, because it is the most appropriate means to follow these contours. Thus, almost all of the known support pieces have a sewn envelope.

[0007] Furthermore, due to the carrier's perspiration in the contact zone with the support pieces, the envelope of the latter is often provided in two distinct portions. One portion, which extends on the side against the carrier, is obtained in a more or less thick textile complex capable of allowing air to circulate and of evacuating and/or absorbing perspiration, and the other portion, exposed outwardly, is obtained in a relatively resistant material enabling the element of the carrying system, strap, shoulder strap, belt, etc., to be retained or fixed.

[0008] Of course, this envelope is always closed in a precise position on the body of the support piece which it covers, so that its most comfortable portion remains on the right side. More specifically, the seams are made at the periphery of its comfort portion which extends in correspondence with the contact zone.

[0009] The known carrying bags provided with support pieces thus constructed are relatively satisfactory, because the carrier is not directly subject to the tension of the elements of the carrying system, shoulder straps and/or belt, and the contact with the support pieces is smooth and flexible.

[0010] However, when the load in the bag is heavy, which is frequent with outing or hiking backpacks, these support pieces prove ill-adapted for ensuring a comfortable contact. Indeed, in view of the load in the bag, they relatively push into the carrier's flesh, thereby placing the seams of their envelope in the contact zone. As a result, irritations and inflammations due to friction occur between the seams and the carrier, especially as the latter perspires.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An object of the invention is to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage in a simple and efficient manner, and at a low cost.

[0012] To this end, the support piece, associated with an element of the carrying system of a bag, includes a body that includes a padding material surrounded by an envelope adapted to ensure comfort during contact with the carrier of the bag. The envelope is closed on the body of the support piece by means of a seam located on the side opposite that which comes into contact with the carrier of the bag.

[0013] Due to this arrangement, the seam can no longer come into contact with the carrier's flesh when the bag is heavily loaded, even if the support piece possibly becomes deformed under the pressure exerted by the element of the carrying system with which it is associated.

[0014] To ensure comfort during contact with the carrier on one side, and retention of the support piece on the element of the carrying system on the other side, the envelope of the support piece is obtained preferably in two distinct portions each adapted to one of these functions. Thus, one distinguishes one portion whose function is to provide comfort, which is made of a flexible fabric soft to the touch which can be a textile complex capable of allowing air to circulate and of evacuating perspiration, and another portion whose function is to enable the retention of the support piece, which is obtained in a fabric made of a relatively resistant material based on natural and/or synthetic woven fibers, or based on a material molded into a sheet, such as plastic.

[0015] Since these two constituent portions of the envelope each have a specific function, it is provided to retain them on the padding of the support piece in a predetermined corresponding fixed position.

[0016] To improve the evacuation of perspiration, the body constituted of a padding material is advantageously further provided with a layer of absorbing material in correspondence with the portion of the envelope that comes into contact with the carrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] The invention will be better understood from the description that follows, with reference to the annexed schematic drawings showing, by way of examples, an embodiment of a support piece for a carrying bag, in which:

[0018]FIG. 1 shows a carrying bag such as a backpack provided with support pieces associated with the elements of the carrying system;

[0019]FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view along the line II-II of one of the elements of the carrying system of the bag of FIG. 1, with the support piece associated therewith;

[0020]FIG. 3 shows the carrying bag in transport position on a person's back.

[0021]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of one of the elements of the carring system with the support piece associated therewith according to a second embodiment.

[0022]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 according to a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The carrying bag 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is a backpack including a carrying system 2 constituted of a pair of shoulder straps 3 and a belt 4, on the one hand, and of a bag 5, on the other hand. The bag 5 can be of any known construction and includes one or more pockets and/or compartments which may be opened or closed by zippers or other closures.

[0024] In this example of construction of the backpack, the shoulder straps 3 as well as the belt 4 are composed of a strap 6 and of a support piece 7, the strap 6 constituting the element or member of the carrying system whose main function is to transfer the load of the bag 5 to the carrier 9 via the support piece 7 which is associated therewith. As is shown more particularly in FIG. 2, the support piece 7 has a body 12, constituted of a padding material such as wool flock, cotton, felt, quilting cotton, or of a flexible and elastic micro-cellular material, and an envelope 13 with a portion 14 in contact with the carrier 9, and a portion 15 in contact with and linked to the strap 6.

[0025] More specifically, the portion 14 of the envelope 13 in contact with the carrier 9 is advantageously made of a flexible fabric soft to the touch, which can be a textile complex capable of allowing air to circulate and allowing perspiration to be evacuated to ensure comfort. Complementarily, the padding that forms the body 12 of the support piece 7 is provided with a layer 24 of absorbing material that facilitates the evacuation of perspiration out of the portion 14 of the envelope 13. The portion 15 is preferably made of a relatively resistant, i.e., strong, fabric so that it can be provided with guides 16, rings or other means capable of ensuring its retention in a fixed position with respect to the strap 6. It can also be linked to the latter by seams.

[0026] According to an essential characteristic, the envelope 13 is closed on the body 12 by means of at least one seam 20 provided on the side 22 of the support piece 7 that is exposed outwardly, i.e., opposite the side 21 that comes into contact with the carrier 9.

[0027] In the present mode of construction, given that the envelope 13 is composed of two distinct portions 14 and 15, there are two seams 20 that are provided on the side 22 exposed outwardly, and more specifically on both sides of the strap 6 constituting the element of the carrying system 2 whose function is to transfer the load of the bag 5 to the carrier 9. In this way, even if the support piece 7 were to deform and/or push into the flesh of the carrier 9, the seam(s) 20 would always remains out of the contact zone.

[0028] Advantageously, so that the pressure exerted by the strap 6 toward the carrier 9 is distributed over a large contact surface with the latter, the support piece 7 is intentionally oversized with respect to the strap 6. To this end, its width L is greater than the width l of the strap 6. The support piece 7 thus fulfills a pressure-distributing function due to its large contact surface with the carrier 9, whether on his/her shoulders 10 or waist 11, and a shock-absorbing function in the event jerking movements were to be encountered, due to the flexible and compressible consistency of its body 12.

[0029] The strap 6 can be fixed to the support piece 7 by different means, usually by seams provided at various locations of the support piece 7.

[0030]FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate two particular ways of affixing the strap 6 to the support piece 7.

[0031] In both cases similar elements will be designated by the same numeral references.

[0032] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the strap 6 is fixed directly by seams 20, formed such as by stitching, to the ends 13 a of the envelope 13 and thus replaces the portion 15 of the envelope 13, shown in FIG. 3.

[0033] The ends 13 a, 6 a of envelope 13 and strap 6, respectively, are further covered, as known per se, by edging 30.

[0034] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the strap 6 whose longitudinal ends 6 a are covered by an edging 30 fixed by seams 20, is fixed to the support piece 7, through seams 25.

[0035] The seams 25 completely cross the support piece 7 to affix the strap 6 thereto.

[0036] The envelope 13 of the body 12 is closed by a longitudinal seam 13 b joining its two ends 13 a, the seam 13 b being placed under the strap 6.

[0037] It is to be understood that this construction mode of the envelope 13 is provided by way of example, and that the envelope 13 can also be made as a single portion and/or out of a non-woven material such as a flexible plastic in the form of a sheet.

[0038] Finally, other embodiments of a support piece 7 can be adapted to other elements of the carrying system 2 of the bag 5, such as the back 23 of the bag, for example, to serve as a scapular, lumbar, and/or dorsal support.

[0039] The instant application is based upon French Patent Application No. 00 06403, filed May 15, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A support piece, associated with an element of the carrying system of a bag, said support piece comprising: a body including a padding material surrounded by an envelope to ensure comfort during contact with a carrier of the bag, the envelope being closed on said body of the support piece by a seam made on a side opposite a side in contact with the carrier of the bag.
 2. A support piece according to claim 1 , wherein: said envelope of the support piece has two distinct portions, a first of said two distinct portions constituting a comfort portion, said comfort portion adapted to come into contact with the carrier of the bag, and a second of said two distinct portions being exposed outwardly and being provided with retaining means for the element of the carrying system with which the support piece is associated.
 3. A support piece according to claim 2 , wherein: said first of said two distinct portions of said envelope, adapted to come into contact with the carrier of the bag, is made of a textile complex capable of allowing air to circulate and evacuate perspiration.
 4. A support piece according to claim 2 , wherein: said second of said two distinct portions of said envelope, provided with retaining means for the element of the carrying system, is made of a fabric comprising a relatively resistant material.
 5. A support piece according to claim 3 , wherein: said second of said two distinct portions of said envelope, provided with retaining means for the element of the carrying system, is made of a fabric comprising a relatively resistant material.
 6. A support piece according to claim 1 , further comprising: means for retaining said envelope on the element of the carrying system in a predetermined fixed position.
 7. A support piece according to claim 6 , wherein: said means comprise guides.
 8. A support piece according to claim 2 , wherein: said body of the support piece comprises a layer of absorbing material corresponding with a portion of said envelope that comes into contact with the carrier of the bag.
 9. A carrying bag to be worn by a carrier, said carrying bag comprising: a bag; a carrying system for securing said bag to the carrier, said carrying system comprising: one or more elongated members connected to said bag for transferring weight of said bag to the carrier; one or more support pieces for said one or more elongated members of said carrying system, each of said support pieces being linked with a respective one of said elongated members of said carrying system; at least one of said support pieces comprising padding material and a tubular envelope surrounding and closed upon said padding material, said tubular envelope having a first side facing the carrier and adapted to contact the carrier as the bag is worn by the carrier, said tubular envelope further comprising a second side facing away from the carrier, said envelope being closed along at least one seam on said second side, said respective one of said elongated members of said carrying system extending along said second side of said envelope, said envelope and padding material thereby ensuring comfort during contact with the carrier of the bag.
 10. A carrying bag according to claim 9 , wherein: said at least one seam closing said envelope comprises a stitched seam.
 11. A carrying bag according to claim 9 , wherein: each of said support pieces is linked with a respective one of said elongated members, on said second side of said support piece, by means of stitching.
 12. A carrying bag according to claim 9 , wherein: each of said support pieces is linked with a respective one of said elongated members, on said second side of said support piece, by means of guides fixed to said second side of said support piece, said one of said elongated members extending through said guides.
 13. A carrying bag according to claim 9 , wherein: said one or more elongated members connected to said bag for transferring weight of said bag to the carrier comprises at least one strap to extend over a shoulder of the carrier.
 14. A carrying bag according to claim 9 , wherein: said one or more elongated members connected to said bag for transferring weight of said bag to the carrier comprises at least one belt to extend around a waist of the carrier.
 15. A carrying bag according to claim 9 , wherein: at least on said first side of said envelope, said envelope is made of a material allowing evacuation of perspiration from the carrier.
 16. A carrying bag according to claim 9 , wherein: a layer of absorbing material is positioned proximate said first side of said envelope for facilitating evacuation of perspiration from the carrier. 